The prolonged battle for the vice chancellorship of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, took a dramatic turn on Thursday when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intervened to remove Dr. Bernard Odoh from office and reinstate Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu as the acting vice chancellor.
This decision followed the contentious removal of Ikechebelu by the university’s previous governing council, led by Ambassador Greg Mbadiwe, which had controversially replaced him with Prof. Carol Imobi.
Ikechebelu’s removal was marked by a military-style intervention, with soldiers reportedly deployed to force him out of office.
His reinstatement was confirmed through an official letter from the Ministry of Education, signed by Permanent Secretary Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo.
The letter conveyed President Tinubu’s approval, which nullified the appointment of Dr. Bernard Odoh as the substantive vice chancellor, a position he had been controversially given by the dissolved governing council.
The Ministry’s letter instructed Ikechebelu to resume duties as acting vice chancellor immediately and emphasized that until a new governing council is constituted, any matters requiring council approval should be directed to the Minister of Education.
In a related development, Comrade Kingsley Ubaoji, Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at UNIZIK, has raised alarm about threats to his life, citing the political upheaval surrounding the vice chancellorship issue.
Ubaoji, who is currently in Abuja for his safety, said he feared for his life amid escalating tensions at the university.
Reports also suggest that over twenty senior faculty members have fled Anambra State for Abuja, citing similar security concerns in the wake of the crisis.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bernard Odoh, the sacked vice chancellor, has challenged his dismissal, arguing that the Ministry of Education had no authority to make the announcement, especially since the matter is still under judicial review.
Odoh further criticized the Ministry’s communication, noting that it was signed by a Public Relations Director rather than the president or Secretary to the Government of the Federation, raising questions about the legitimacy of the decision.
